More than 300 people gathered on Thursday, August 4, at Sophia Square in Kyiv for the “Elenovka – a new Auschwitz” action, organized by relatives of captured Azovstal defenders and public activists. The protesters condemned the Russian court’s recognition of the Azov regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine as a terrorist organization and vowed to launch a large-scale campaign for the release of soldiers from captivity in Ukraine’s cities and across the civilized world.

Moscow Conviction and Complaints Against International Organizations

Dozens of relatives and friends of fighters from the Azov regiment and other supporters of Mariupol and the Azovstal plant who attended the action held up banners accusing Russia of terrorism and the murder of Ukrainian soldiers captured in Yelenovka, in the occupied Donbass territory. Protesters also condemned the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, accused of failing to fulfill their obligations, as guarantors of the safe departure of Mariupol defenders from Azovstal and exchanging them for Russian soldiers.

Activists and relatives of prisoners were holding placards in Ukrainian and English: “Don’t touch our heroes!”, “Elenovka – who’s next?”, “Freedom for the heroes of Mariupol!”, “Red Cross, stop the spilling of blood!” and others. Those present chanted slogans: “Glory to the Azov Regiment!”, “Give us back our heroes!”, “Russia is a terrorist country!”, “World, hear us!”. the inactivity of international organizations and Ukrainian politicians and authorities on the issue of returning Mariupol defenders home.

Public activists performed a theatrical performance in which they clearly showed how Russian soldiers placed explosives in a building in Yelenovka where Ukrainian soldiers were held and blew it up to burn the Ukrainians alive. The black-clad girls sang the memorial folk song “Plyne kacha”, which since the days of Euromaidan in Ukraine has been escorted on its latest trip to the fallen in the country’s struggle for independence.

Initiatives for the release of prisoners

“Our action was aimed at reaching out to the UN and the Red Cross so that they fulfill their obligations and facilitate the return of our heroes home. What happened in Yelenovka is a terrorist attack, and those responsible for that must be held accountable. held accountable. ” the wife of a captured soldier from the regiment told DW ” Azov “Veronika Sukharnikova. She is certain that Mariupol’s defenders took a critical risk, remaining surrounded to fulfill the task of defending the city from Russian invaders, and now deserve to be treated like heroes and returned to Ukraine.

For her part, Alena Verbytska, Presidential Adviser of Ukraine for Ensuring the Rights of Ukrainian Defenders, said she had lost her last hope of success in the negotiations on the exchange of Ukrainian prisoners of war. “Russia does not comply with and does not recognize any international convention on the rules and customs of war. We have now started working with the Russian “Committee of Mothers of Soldiers” to force the Kremlin to carry out an exchange. we intend to stop trying,” said Verbitskaya.

An explosion in one of the colony’s barracks in Yelenovka occurred on the morning of July 29. According to Russian data, at least 53 Ukrainian prisoners were killed at the time. The Russian side accuses Ukraine of carrying out a HIMARS attack on the building where the prisoners were held. Kyiv categorically denies this. Military experts agree that the Russians used thermobaric munitions there, but the Red Cross said this did not guarantee the safety of Ukrainian prisoners leaving Azovstal.